Attack on Titan: We Learn From Pain
by GraceMckinley
Summary: On an expedition outside the walls, Levi's team get ambushed by a group of Titans. Will they all make it out? What are the consequences of their choices? For the fact that it's a short story, I won't say much in the description because I don't want to give it away, but trust me. This 1500-ish word story is worth your time, at least if you like Attack on Titan.


Levi's POV

'Where am I?' I wonder to myself. My memory is foggy, but I can make out images in my head. A Titan, reaching for me. Hanji running after me. Large trees. A wall in the distance.

The bumping beneath me, that shakes me as I move, tells me I'm on a cart or in a wagon. But why? I slowly reach my hand up to move the cloth that blocks my vision, it's soft touch on my cheeks, alerting me of the material.

"Levi! Don't move yet!"

My hand slowly retreats back to my chest. That voice. It's so familiar, yet so foreign. A cold hand laying on my forehead sends shivers down my spine and makes me want to curl up to preserve body heat.

"How are you feeling? You have a high fever" the voice explains and I now realize it's Hanji.

I don't answer. I don't know how. I guess my head hurts a lot and my eyes sting. Did Titan blood get into them when cutting through the beasts? My legs feel sore, especially the left, and my side throbs with pain.

"Levi, I know you probably aren't up to talking, but I need you to answer me" Hanji pleads, her voice desperate for an answer. What happened?

"I'm fine" I reply. Was that really my voice? It sounded so dry and weak.

"Are you in any pain?"

"I'm fine" I repeated.

Hanji sighs, her hands tearing open my shirt to investigate what I'm sure is a blood wound. The small gasp that comes from her lips tells me that it's probably pretty bad.

"Do you mind telling me what happened?" I ask harsher than I meant.

I feel liquids being poured onto the wound, stinging it slightly before numbing it. "You don't remember?" her voice sounded upset. Maybe that she'd have to tell me?

"No" it was an obvious tone that came from my lips.

"We were on an expedition outside Wall Rose and half way through your squad was ambushed by nearly a dozen Titans. By the time I reached you guys, two of them were dead, nearly half badly injured, and you were in a Titan's grip. It chomped on your head, Levi. I was sure you were gonna die" her voice sounded pitiful, "I killed it and when I found you again, you were unconscious, bleeding everywhere, and barely alive. Erwin sent us to retreat"

"Us?" I asked. I hadn't heard anyone else. Were there really others around me?

"Yeah, It's me and the remainder of your squad"

"They sound quiet," I scoffed, "compared to usual, that is"

"They're worried about you" Hanji snapped back, "You don't realize the severity of your condition, do you"

"Well maybe I'd understand it better if I could examine it myself"

Hanji sighed, before removing the cloth that soaked up blood on my forehead and around my eyes.

"Be careful, I don't know what kind of damage was done yet" she said warily.

I opened my eyes slowly, prepared to slam them shut again if the sun was too bright.

Nothing.

All I could see was a fuzz colored white, or maybe grey? Did it even have a color? Everything was foggy and I couldn't see a thing. I reached up to look at my hand, barely making out the shape as the edges blurred together. It wasn't until it was what I assumed a foot away from my face that I could begin to make out fingers.

"Levi? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, what would make you say that?"

"You're practically touching your face and don't seem to realize it" she replied slowly.

I moved my hand just slightly closer, and that's when I felt it. My hand was touching the tip of my nose. It was that close to my face, yet I couldn't make out any details.

"Are you okay?" she repeated again. I looked up, dropping my hand as I tried to make out a face. I couldn't see any. Not even a blob of color. It was like after a certain point, everything turns to that awful grey-white color.

"I-" I stopped. Could I really say it? I had to. "I can't see" I finally finished.

"Shoot" she cursed and I could hear her hit the side of the wagon, "I was hoping I had just misread it"

"Misread what?" I asked, still trying to find her face.

"When I found you I noticed your pupils had faded and was hoping they had just gotten tiny due to bright lights"

"Will my vision come back?" I asked slowly, but not too slow.

"I-" she paused and I could tell what the answer was already, "I don't know"

I sighed, "What other damage is done?"

"You have a large gash on your side, probably from hitting a tree branch or Titan hand, as well as a possibly broken leg from when you fell after I killed the Titan"

I nodded, there wasn't much else I could do, "Who died?"

I heard a soft whimper coming from what sounded like Sasha.

"Connie and Armin died, Levi" she finally replied after several moments of silence.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. It was the only thing allowing me to keep my sanity.

"What do I do now?"

It's funny how when you think, sometimes your thoughts have the ability to make it into the real world. At that moment, I had let my most plundering thought out. I had let them know my biggest fear.

"You do what you've always done, Levi" Hanji explained, "You fight for what you believe in and live for a better tomorrow. You may not be able to go expeditions anymore due to the disadvantage, but you can still help by training others to replace you and being a leader for those who need you"

I nodded once more.

We rode on for several more hours before reaching the walls and then the base. Once there, Eren and Mikasa helped me to my room and moved things around so I wouldn't bump into dressers or tables when trying to walk. And from there, they left me to grieve for their friends. I sat on my bed, thinking about how little I've done in my life and how much more I had wished to achieve. I could hear the owls hooting in the distance and the chirp of the crickets as they sang their night song.

Over the next few weeks I learned how to get around with out stumbling as much and also ways that I was useful. I learned I hate the color grey and that I can hear better than before. That went to show when I could hear Eren and Mikasa talking at a table on the other side of the room. I was eventually coerced into getting a guide dog by both Hanji and Erwin, which actually came out to be handy. His name's Ben and I've grown quite fond of him. And while my sight still hasn't come back, I will live my life everyday waiting for the moment it does and teaching others to do what I can not.

 **A/N**

 **Kon'nichi wa, minna-san!**

 **Thank you so much for reading this short story. I hope you liked it! Now, if you wouldn't mind pressing the star to vote or commenting a review, that would be most appreciated. Thanks! XD**

 **It's great to finally get back to writing. I've actually been writing several stories recently of which I've yet to finish but am hoping to be done sometime in the next few months. However, I make no promises. I got a job over the summer and have been working Friday through Tuesday, so less time, but more money. I'm saving up to go on a missions trip to Thailand this November. Anyway, that's my excuse for less stories. :P**

 **Thank you for reading my short rant on my recent upturn of laziness also known as fatigue, this is Grace, signing out.**


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